November 8, 2013 — The number of dead or dying dolphins that have washed up on New Jersey beaches has dropped significantly in the past few weeks as colder water has led to the animals heading south for the winter.
However, researchers within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warn the number of deaths will continue to increase in southern states as the outbreak of dolphin morbillivirus is expected to travel with the migrating herds.
“That doesn’t mean New York and New Jersey won’t have strandings,” said Teri Rawls, director of NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. “(The northern states) may continue to have strandings of offshore species and stragglers that stay behind.”
As of Friday, 143 dolphins have washed up dead or dying on New Jersey beaches since July 1.
Researchers also are examining whether the same virus preliminarily identified as the cause of more than 750 Atlantic bottlenose dolphin deaths since July is affecting humpback whales and pygmy sperm whales. So far this year, three of four humpback whales tested for the virus and two of three pygmy sperm whales tested for the virus had positive results.
Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City